Smithfield, incorporated in 1752, maintains its quaint river town feel and is known worldwide for its delicious country hams. The town delivers on its promise of "hams, history, hospitality & HeART,"
Day 1: Begin at the Visitor Center, also home to the Arts Center @319, offering tourist information, a gallery/gift shop & the chance to chat with resident artists. Peruse the many art galleries along Main Street and stop by the post office which features a mural installed as one of FDR's Work Projects Administration's projects. Lunch at the Gourmet Bakery. Take in the many shops downtown - all independently owned. Seven life-size bronze statues are placed throughout town, depicting such figures as Benjamin Franklin and Robert Frost. Enjoy the painted pigs of the town's Porcine Parade. Finish with dinner at Smithfield Station, then attend one of the many local concerts and other special events.
Day 2: Breakfast downtown at the Cure Coffeehouse, then visit the Isle of Wight County Museum with its overview of the county's history, the world's oldest ham and beautiful stained glass dome. Take a Walking Tour of the Historic District featuring over 50 historic buildings, including the 1750 Isle of Wight Courthouse, modeled after the Capitol Building in Colonial Williamsburg, and the Schoolhouse Museum, an African-American Museum of Public Education, built in 1932. Stop for lunch at the Ice Cream Parlor, then head to Historic St. Luke's Church and Musem, "Virginia's Oldest Church," to view their stained glass windows and bronze statues. Isle of Wight County is home to two historic forts in lovely natural settings overlooking the James River. Historic Fort Huger, the "Gateway to the Confederate Capital," offers a self-guided walking tour to view mounted cannon and the "Ghost Fleet." Fort Boykin Historic Park was constructed in the 1600s to protect the colonists. Finish your visit to Smithfield & Isle of Wight County with a scenic riverside dinner at Captain Chuck-a-Muck's in the quaint village of Rescue.
Be sure to finish your time in Smithfield with a group photo at the town's "Love Work" at the Smithfield Center!
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Last Updated: 07/20/2018
